1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a virtual image generation apparatus and a virtual image generation method, designed to reproduce a route of a photographer's travel on a map image from image data containing the data representing the position where the picture represented by the image data has been taken. The invention also relates to a recording medium storing a virtual image generation program.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, various types of service of displaying 3D maps such as Google™ Maps are suggested. Further, various systems that can display computer graphics (CG) superposed on any photograph taken. Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2000-50156, for example, discloses a technique of determining, in a 3D map space, the position where a picture has been taken by a camera. The name of structure that should be seen in the picture is identified on the basis of the 3D map, the position and viewing angle the camera assumes when taking the picture, and the image pertaining to the name of the structure is superposed on the picture.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2005-128298, for example, discloses the technique of synthesizing a real image with a CG image, providing, for example a live golf-tournament scene in which represent the undulating ground vividly.